Stranger Things fans “incredibly sad” over missing character in Season 5 Volume 1

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The first part of Stranger Things Season 5 welcomes several new young characters, like Derek (Jake Connelly) and Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher). However, one well-loved character was surprisingly absent – and it’s not even Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn).

The fifth and final season of the Netflix show centers around the original group of friends, but the story really kicks off when Holly – Nancy and Mike’s younger sister, played by a new actress this season – is kidnapped, mirroring Will’s disappearance back in 1983.

Matt Duffer explained that the show deliberately shifted focus to Holly. He told The Hollywood Reporter that since the original young characters are now grown up, introducing a new, younger character felt like a natural way to echo the feel of the first season.

The latest developments are brilliant, and fans are really taking to Holly’s classmate, Derek. Season 5 of Stranger Things will also revisit the story of Eleven’s sister, Kali (played by Linnea Berthelsen), who was previously known as 008. However, this raises a question: where is Argyle, and what happened to him?

Stranger Things fan favorite character is missing in Season 5 Volume 1

Eduardo Franco, who played Argyle in Stranger Things, has confirmed he won’t be back for the fifth and final season. Fans are particularly disappointed that his character isn’t even referenced in the first part of the new season.

This character debuted in Season 4 as a friend of Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and immediately won over viewers with his relaxed personality, unpredictable behavior, and knack for comedy.

In early 2024, as filming for Season 5 began, James Franco shared on the Steve Varley Show that while he appreciated people seemed worried about him, he never actually received a direct call about it. He seemed to imply that meant the matter was closed.

Eddie’s courageous final moments were similar – he died a hero. But unlike Argyle, who’s largely been forgotten, Eddie’s memory continues to live on through Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo).

Even though Argyle likely didn’t die in the show, many fans are still saddened by the events of Season 5 Volume 1. One fan expressed their disappointment on Reddit, saying, “He just went to get mushrooms and we never saw him again.”

Someone commented, expressing disappointment that a particular person wasn’t acknowledged. They also hoped to see or hear about another person named Suzie.

Someone else expressed sadness that he wasn’t involved this season, understanding it might not have fit the story, but believing his comedic timing would have been a welcome relief during the more serious moments.

Aside from Robin, the arguments between Steve and Dustin, and Erica, this season doesn’t quite have as many laugh-out-loud moments as previous ones. It’s still a really good season overall, though.

I’d love to see Argyle return for the final episode, but I doubt it will happen. I’m going to miss him a lot.

One fan shared they were really missing Argyle, and another joked that the final season would turn out to be a long, drug-induced vision Argyle was having.

The main reason Argle is absent is that Hawkins is now under a strict military quarantine.

One viewer wondered if the character escaped Hawkins before the town was locked down, and questioned how another character, Murray, manages to travel in and out so freely.

Someone else expressed surprise that the person wasn’t required to quarantine. They speculated that it likely took time to implement the restrictions, and he’d already returned to California before any measures were put in place.

The first part of Stranger Things Season 5 is now available to watch on Netflix. You can find the episode release dates in our guide, and we’ve also covered major questions like whether any characters die, who the mysterious Mr. Whatsit is, and if Will Byers has any special abilities.

We’ve also listed the Season 5 soundtrack so far and ranked the best Stranger Things episodes.

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2025-11-28 17:50